With cable and streaming have completely dominated the Emmy drama series category over the last six years, broadcast TV finally caught a break this morning as NBC/Twentieth Century Fox’s This Is Usmade a comeback for the format with 11 nominations.

Commenting on the breakthrough, This Is Us series creator Dan Fogelman remarked that Emmy voters’ tendencies to overlook broadcast shows in recent times has more to do with awards voters’ inclination toward edgier, grittier fare, and a bulk of that exists on cable and streaming.

“I think it often has less to do with broadcast. Even with films at the Oscars, you don’t see a lot of romantic comedies or dramedies. We tend to universally reward edgier, dark fare more. I don’t think it’s a (trend) that’s unique to TV,” said Fogelman.

As the show which moves America to tears every week, Fogelman explains that the writing staff is always conscious when it comes to over-doing the cry factor.

“While we aren’t talking loudly about that, we’re monitoring it at all times and in all ways. You can write a scene and if it gets overwrought, that’s a problem. The concept can’t be overwrought, the performances can’t be overwrought, the choice of takes in the editing bay can’t be either and the music has to be right,” explained Fogelman on his process.

Teasing season 2, Fogelman says that it will pick up the next morning after Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) walked out on Rebecca (Mandy Moore). And in regards to Kate’s (Chrissy Metz/Hannah Zeile) guilt over being responsible for her father’s death: “Not right away, but it will be directly explained in the course of the second season,” added Fogelman. Season 2 of This Is Us is currently in production.